The Latest: Catalan leader wants to address local parliament

MADRID (AP) - The Latest on Spain's political crisis amid Catalonia's push for independence (all times local):

1:45 p.m.

The head of Catalonia's National Assembly has called for dialogue and a political solution to the crisis in Spain over a disputed independence referendum

Jordi Sanchez spoke after appearing at Spain's National Court in Madrid as part of a sedition investigation.

He said that the international community was highlighting the need for dialogue and the Catalan government has shown that it's open to this without renouncing the results of the Oct. 1 referendum in which Catalan officials say voters overwhelmingly chose independence. Spain says the referendum was illegal, invalid and unconstitutional.

Sanchez said that "I ask strongly that the Spanish government, the national parliament and the head of state (the king) understand that time and the hours are very important to find a debated way out and give way to a political solution."

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1:15 p.m.

Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has requested to address the regional parliament next Tuesday amid growing challenges for his government to deliver on a pledge to declare independence for the northeastern region following a disputed referendum last weekend.

The separatist ruling coalition suffered a setback Thursday when Spain's Constitutional Court suspended a Monday plenary session of lawmakers for assessing the vote's results.

Puigdemont has said the vote is valid despite a Constitutional Court ban to hold it and a turnout of some 40 percent of the region's 5.5 million eligible voters.

Spain's conservative government, which is under political and social pressure after police acted violently in trying to halt the banned vote on Oct. 1, has rejected any dialogue unless Catalans drop plans for secession.

Tuesday's address request was for Puigdemont to "report on the current political situation" according to a brief statement by his office.

The speakers' board of Catalonia's regional parliament has announced an urgent meeting Friday afternoon in which the address is likely to be discussed.

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12:35 p.m.

Two senior Catalan police officers and two leaders of pro-independence civic groups have been unconditionally released after being questioned as part of an investigation for sedition linked to demonstrations in Barcelona in the run-up to last weekend's referendum on independence.

The four will have to reappear in court in Madrid in coming days after a prosecutor presents new evidence.

The four are Catalan police chief Josep Lluis Trapero, Catalan police Lt. Teresa Laplana, who was questioned by video link from Barcelona due to health reasons, and Jordi Sanchez, the head of the Catalan National Assembly that has been the main civic group behind the independence movement, and Jordi Cuixart, president of separatist group Omnium Cultural.

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11:45 a.m.

Catalonia's police chief Josep Lluis Trapero has left Spain's National Court in Madrid after being questioned for about an hour as part of an investigation for sedition linked to Sept. 20-21 demonstrations in Barcelona in the run-up to last weekend's referendum on independence.

Trapero, who is one of four people being questioned in the case, left on foot to some applause by Basque and Catalan party representatives and some insults from bystanders.

The other three under investigation for sedition are Catalan police Lt. Teresa Laplana, who was to testify by video link from Barcelona, Jordi Sanchez, the head of the Catalan National Assembly that has been the main civic group behind the independence movement, and Jordi Cuixart, president of separatist group Omnium Cultural.

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8:40 a.m.

Spain's National Court will question two senior officers of Catalonia's regional police force and the leaders of two pro-independence civic groups who have been placed under investigation for sedition.

The four will be questioned Friday morning about their roles in demonstrations Sept. 20-21 in Barcelona, when Spanish police arrested several Catalan government officials and raided offices in a crackdown on preparations for an Oct. 1 referendum on independence. Spanish authorities say the demonstrations hindered the police operation.

The four include regional police chief Josep Lluis Trapero and Jordi Sanchez, the head of the Catalan National Assembly that has been the main civic group behind the independence movement.

On Thursday, Spain's Constitutional Court ordered Catalonia's parliament to suspend a planned session next week during which separatist lawmakers plan to declare independence.